Perfect
by LoneCat
Summary: I got this idea from the song Perfect by Simple Plan. It's Chris dealing with his Leo issues. It takes us through a journey of Chris’s life, including growing up. Also, Leo not only has to deal with his future actions, but must explain his past actions. C
1. The Song

Chapter 1 – The Song  
  
"Hey, Dad, look at me  
Think back, and talk to me  
Did I grow up according to plan?  
And do you think I'm wasting my time  
Doing things I wanna do?  
But it hurts when you disapproved all along  
And now I try hard to make it  
I just wanna make you proud  
I'm never gonna be good enough for  
You can't pretend that I'm alright  
And you can't change me"  
  
Chris was sitting at P3 listening to Simple Plan. It had taken Piper months to book them and Chris figured he should show up and check out this popular band. By the time he was old enough to be interested in music, he was too worried about being killed by his older brother to have time for it. Chris was absolutely shocked by this song. _It's like an anthem for Leo and me.  
_  
"'Cause we lost it all  
Nothin' lasts forever  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
Now it's just too late  
And we can't go back  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect"  
  
Chris sighed. He had lost it all and he was afraid that no matter how much time traveling he did, he could never go back and fix everything. That killed him. No matter how much he changed things in the past, he still knew one truth – him and his father would never be close. Chris felt he would never measure up to Leo's standards.  
  
"I try not to think  
About the pain I feel inside  
Did you know you used to be my hero?  
All the days you spent with me  
Now seem so far away  
And it feels like you don't care any more  
And now I try hard to make it  
I just wanna make you proud  
I'm never gonna be good enough for you  
I can't stand another fight  
And nothing's all right"  
  
Chris smiled at the hero part. He used to think that Leo hung the moon in the sky every night. He was Chris's god. Chris didn't see him much at all when he was little, but when Leo came around; Chris's smile could light up the room.  
  
Flashback  
  
A 7-year-old Chris was running around the Manor playing tag with his younger cousin, Penny (Phoebe's daughter). He was just about to tag her when a mass of orbs was formed in the middle of the room. The two stopped playing and watched as Leo materialized. Chris squealed and ran to his father.  
  
"Dad, guess what?"  
  
"What, Buddy?" asked Leo, who looked genuinely happy to see his son.  
  
"I went to magic school today and my teacher said that I'm a really good witch and that I'll be really powerful someday."  
  
Leo smiled down at his son.  
  
"Chris, I have no doubt that you will be one of the most powerful people in the world."  
  
Chris smiled and gave his father a big hug. Just then, Piper burst into the living room carrying a wounded Paige.  
  
"Oh, Leo, thank the gods you're here. Please heal Paige," Piper said breathlessly. Leo moved quickly. He placed his hands over the wound on Paige's abdomen and gold light started emanating from his palms. The wound was quickly healed and Paige sat up immediately.  
  
"Ouch, next time we go after so-called 'mythical' demons – make sure they are actually mythical and not real!"  
  
Piper sighed, "I'm sorry, I thought it was just somebody pretending to be the demon. Nobody actually believed he existed."  
  
"Well trust me, he does," Paige said as she rubbed her head.  
  
This banter continued, but Chris didn't notice. He just looked up at his father in awe. Leo noticed this and walked over to Chris.  
  
"Hey, Buddy."  
  
"Dad, could you show me how to heal sometime?"  
  
Leo smiled, "I will on you twelfth birthday."  
  
Chris's smiled dropped a little.  
  
"But why when I'm 12."  
  
"Because, I don't want you to get hurt. That power can drain a lot out of you. The same rule is being applied to Wyatt."  
  
Chris smiled; at least this was one subject where Wyatt wasn't getting any special treatment.  
  
"Okay, Dad, as long as you promise."  
  
"I do."  
  
End Flashback  
  
Chris let out a cynical laugh. _Yeah, he promised, but he never delivered. As I recall, on my 12th birthday he showed, gave me a card and then I didn't see him for two years.  
_  
"Cause we lost it all  
And nothin' lasts forever  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
Now it's just too late  
And we can't go back  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect"  
  
_That's right, Leo, we lost it all and it can't be fixed in ANY timeline._ Chris looked down at his rum and coke. He had been sitting there through the whole song without taking a sip.  
  
"Nothing's gonna change the things that you said  
And nothing's gonna make this right again  
Please don't turn your back  
I can't believe it's hard just to talk to you  
But you don't understand"  
  
Chris let a tear stream down his cheek. It was hard for him just to talk to Leo. It was so hard when he got to the past, but acting like someone else, besides Leo's son, made it easier. He could forget who he was. But now he couldn't forget, and the memory, that one painful memory that broke their bond forever came back.  
  
Flashback  
  
A 14-year-old Chris was standing in the Manor with fireballs flying all around him. His mother and aunts were trying to fight off the demons, but there were too many. Piper was trying to protect Chris, which was making her job harder. A large fireball flew at the group of witches, but Paige used her orbing powers to set it off course. Unfortunately, instead of heading for all three, it headed for Phoebe. Paige realized her mistake and jumped in front of Phoebe, taking the blow. Phoebe screamed and tried to wake up her sister. She was concentrating so hard on Paige that she didn't see a fireball headed straight for her. Before Piper had time to freeze it, Phoebe was hit, too.  
  
All of a sudden, the demons stopped attacking. Piper tried to raise her hands to blow them up, but she couldn't move. Chris tried to use his powers on them, but he couldn't move either. They seemed to be under some sort of spell. Then, came a mass of blue orbs. The strange thing was, they were darker than regular blue orbs – like they were changing to black orbs. Then, in front of Piper and Chris stood Wyatt, smiling evilly. The 16-year-old could see the fear in his mother and brother's eyes and relished in it.  
  
"Well, hello, mother," Wyatt said as he walked up to her. Without warning he took out a very sharp athame and dug it into her abdomen. Piper cried out in pain and the spell was released in time for Chris to catch his mother's falling body. He looked up at Wyatt with tears streaming down his face.  
  
"Why, Wyatt?"  
  
"Simple, little brother, it's all about power. No more Charmed Ones, means I have all the power."  
  
"I- I can challenge you."  
  
Wyatt shook his head and laughed, "No you can't, all your non-whitelighter powers were bound."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Dad, I convinced him that you were to powerful for your own good."  
  
Chris looked at him in shock. _How could Dad do something like that?_ Wyatt just smiled.  
  
"Well, it's been nice Chris, but now I gotta go talk to my minions. See ya."  
  
Wyatt orbed out, leaving Chris surrounded by his aunt's bodies and holding his mother's body.  
  
"Mom, come on, wake up," Chris said desperately, "I need you. DAD! LEO!"  
  
Piper looked up at her youngest and knew that he would have a struggle ahead.  
  
"Listen to me, Chris, the time of the Charmed Ones is over. I need you to stop Wyatt. Do everything you can. If you have to – kill him."  
  
Chris cried and cried over his mother's body, repeatedly calling for his father.  
  
When Leo did appear he just said, "They're dead," and orbed out.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Chris sighed again. His mother's last words condoned him to kill his own brother. That was the last time he talked to the Leo he knew, too.  
  
Someone behind Chris tapped his shoulder. Chris turned around to see Leo.  
  
"I see you've healed yourself."  
  
"Yes," Leo said, uncomfortably, "Listen, Chris, I was hoping we could go somewhere and talk."  
  
Chris shook his head, "I don't think so." He then slammed back his drink, grabbed his coat and walked out of the club.  
  
"'Cause we lost it all  
And nothin' lasts forever  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
Now it's just too late  
And we can't go back  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect" 


	2. Leo and Consequences

A/N: This chapter is shorter than the other one, but I have decided to add a bit of a twist to this story, so I needed this chapter.

Chapter 2 – Leo and Consequences  
  
Leo watched his son walk out the door. It hurt him so much to see Chris in so much pain. He didn't even know Chris. At least not the way Piper obviously did. Now, he wasn't sure if he was ever going to get to know his son. Sure, he could change things and be there for baby Chris, but he also wanted to be there for big Chris. Leo knew that baby Chris and big Chris would always and forever be two very different people, so he wanted to get to know big Chris before it was too late. He felt it was almost too late, though. He had treated Chris so badly and the guilt was eating him up inside. He just couldn't imagine how mean he was to his own son!  
  
Flashback  
  
Leo, Phoebe and Paige orbed into the manor. They had just dropped off Darryl's spirit after using it in Valhalla.  
  
"Geez, it's about time, I was starting to get wor-," Chris froze when he saw Leo. He then noticed that his mother was missing, "Where's Piper?"  
  
Leo had felt an overwhelming feeling of anger towards the young whitelighter.  
  
"You son of a bitch," he said as his fist connected with Chris's jaw. He grabbed Chris by the collar and asked, "Why did you do it?"  
  
"Do what?" Chris said, looking worried.  
  
Leo threw Chris over a chair into the wall, watching him hit the wall and fall on his side. Chris tried to orb away as Paige yelled at Leo.  
  
"Leo, stop it!"  
  
Leo didn't listen and grabbed Chris in mid-orb, throwing him into a cabinet, breaking it and the frame that contained Leo and Piper's wedding photo. Chris was left panting, almost gasping for air. Finally Phoebe got in between Leo and Chris.  
  
"Leo, enough! This hostility is killing me."  
  
"What is wrong with you?" Paige asked, "Have you been playing gladiator too long?"  
  
Leo glared at Chris as he got up.  
  
"You didn't tell them, did you?"  
  
"Tell us what?" Phoebe asked.  
  
Leo glared even harder at Chris, "That he was the last one to see me. Right afterwards I was mysteriously trapped in Vallhalla. Chris looked at Leo with anger written all over his face.  
  
"So that makes me responsible? Is that what you're saying?"  
  
"Okay, why would Chris do that?" asked a confused Paige.  
  
"Why else?" Leo said, never taking his eyes off of a very mad Chris, "To get rid of me."  
  
"It doesn't make sense," Paige replied.  
  
"Doesn't it?" Leo asked, "He manipulated things so I'd become an elder. Forced me out of the house, didn't he?"  
  
"So you could save the world," Chris shot back. Anger was written all over his face, but Leo saw a bit of suppressed hurt in his eyes.  
  
End Flashback  
  
It was that hurt that Leo would never be able to forget. It burned him to his very soul. _How could I do that to my own son? How could I not see who he truly is?  
_  
Leo finally realized that he was just standing there instead of going after Chris.  
  
"Shit," he mumbled and took off after his son. He ran down a few blocks, but quickly realized that Chris had probably found a secluded area and orbed away. Leo stood in the middle of the sidewalk and tried to sense Chris, but it was no use. If Chris didn't want Leo to sense him, Leo wouldn't sense him.  
  
_Come on Leo think. He's your son. You should know where he is._ Then inspiration hit him and he orbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sure enough, there was Chris, who was so lost in his own world he hadn't even heard Leo orb in. Leo was about to approach him when he heard that familiar jingling. He orbed Up There, just as Chris turned around. He just watched his father orb away from him, a very familiar scene to him.  
  
When Leo got Up There, his dear friend and fellow elder, Matthew, greeted him.  
  
"Greetings, Leo. How are you?"  
  
Leo looked at his friend and shook his head.  
  
"Not so good."  
  
Matthew looked at Leo with a pained expression on his face.  
  
"Yes, well I don't think your day is going to get any better." Leo looked at his friend curiously.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
Matthew moved closer to his friend so he could speak softer. He doubted that Leo wanted everyone to know.  
  
"You are going before the Grand Order of Elders."  
  
Leo looked at Matthew like he had gone insane. The Grand Order of Elders was the judge, jury and punisher for all whitelighters and elders.  
  
"What did I do that was so wrong, Matthew?"  
  
Matthew looked at his friend with a heavy heart. He was about to answer when a voice behind Leo did so for him.  
  
"I believe everyone knows him as Chris."

A/N: What will Leo do about the Grand Order of Elders? Check back soon to find out and please review!


	3. An Unknown Mistake

A/N: Sorry it took so long, but thanks for the reviews. Keep 'em coming!

Chapter 3 – An Unknown Mistake

Leo whipped around to confront the person who spoke.

"Gideon! What is the meaning of this?" Leo roared.

Gideon placed his arm around Leo and motioned for the two to walk together.

"You see, you let everyone find out the truth about Chris. He was right about future consequences. You never should have known. You should have made sure that everyone forgot whom he is. Now, you must go before the Grand Order of Elders and face judgment."

"This is insane!" yelled Leo, "He's here to save Wyatt and the future. We now trust him more, because he is being completely honest with us!"

Gideon tried to calm Leo down.

"I am sorry, Leo, but a mistake was made and you must deal with the consequences."

Leo glared at him.

"Deal with this," he said as he flipped Gideon off before orbing out.

Gideon just grinned and started talking to himself.

"The timing couldn't be more perfect! This will distract everyone enough so that I can get to Wyatt."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Leo had orbed into the manor to find Chris and Piper making cookies. He watched lovingly. They looked so comfortable around each other. Leo wished he could have moments like that with Chris. He knew there was a slim chance of that happening. He wanted to just enjoy the scene, but unfortunately, Chris had already sensed him. His son tensed and turned around.

"Leo, what would you like?"

"I just came to see my family. My WHOLE family."

Chris just sneered at him and prepared to orb out.

"Wait!" Leo yelled.

Chris did as he was asked, for once.

"What is it, Leo?"

"I need to talk to everyone."

"Why?" asked a very concerned Piper as she placed the cookies in the oven.

"I'll explain when everyone gets here."

"Fine, I'll go get my aunts."

With that, Chris orbed away. Leo and Piper stood in a very uncomfortable silence. Finally, Piper spoke.

"Let's go sit down in the family room. I'm sure Wyatt would love to see his daddy."

Leo nodded and followed her. When they got there, they found Wyatt sleeping peacefully in his playpen. Leo didn't want to wake him up, so he settled for just staring at his son. The uncomfortable silence was growing. Luckily, Chris orbed back with Phoebe and Paige wasn't far behind. Leo motioned them all to sit down.

"I have some news."

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

"I am scheduled to go before the Grand Order of the Elders."

"What?" Chris asked, outraged (being the only one who knew what the GOE is).

"Huh?" said the girls.

Leo quickly explained what the GOE is. All this did was confuse everyone more, especially Piper.

"Why do they want you?"

Leo explained the situation and Chris's face clouded over, as did the girls. When Leo was finished, Chris let loose.

"So what? They want you to sprinkle memory dust on everyone to forget about me? How do they know what's best? I've been to the future, they haven't. They have no right to judge!"

With that, Chris orbed out. Leo watched his son leave and sighed.

"I just don't know what to do," he said as he put his head in his hands. Piper put her arm comfortingly on his back.

"Don't worry about Chris, he's a survivor and will come around. As for the elders, they never were my favorite people anyway."

Phoebe and Paige could tell that they should leave and did so. Just as they were leaving, Piper and Leo embraced.

A/N: Next chapter: find out how Chris feels about everything that's happening.


	4. Maybe it's for the Best

Chapter 4 – Maybe it's For the Best

Chris looked out onto the city. He had a perfect view from the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. He loved sitting here. It was so coming and relaxing. It always helped get his thoughts together and think clearly. This place was sacred to him. Even in the future Wyatt didn't bother to disturb him when he was here. Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to collect his thoughts.

_Maybe the elders are right. Maybe they should just all forget about me. I could just go back to the future and do what mom told me to do. I could kill him._

Chris laughed to himself. He knew that he could never kill Wyatt. Not only did he not have the capacity for that great of an evil, but Wyatt was his brother, evil or not.

_Maybe I could find a way to save Wyatt and then erase their memories before I leave. No, that wouldn't work. Mini-me would jog their memories. Of course, I could kill mini-me after I save Wyatt. Then I could just sprinkle them with memory dust right before I kill mini-me. I would disappear and they would never have any chance of remembering that I ever existed. It could work._

"Don't even think about it, young man!"

Chris looked up to see Piper standing over him, except, she wasn't the Piper from this time. This Piper had a few more wrinkles and a few more grey hairs.

"Mommy," Chris said slowly, afraid that he was hallucinating. This couldn't be the woman that had died in his arms, yet every bone in his body was screaming that she was.

She smiled and nodded at him.

"I'm here to help you."

"What do I do?" asked Chris, becoming very vulnerable – something he hated.

Ghost Piper gathered her son into her arms.

"You are going to stay here, save your brother and defy the elders."

"How can I defy the elders?"

Ghost Piper smiled down at her baby boy.

"Do you remember the floorboard where this timeline's version of me and your aunts put that spell to restore the powers Bianca took from you?"

Chris nodded his head.

"Take a look in there."

"Why?"

"Just trust me."

Chris nodded his head and then laid it on his mom's chest. He slowly fell asleep. Ghost Piper sat there for the rest of the night, just holding her son, wishing that she could stay with him. When the sun came up, though, she lowered his head down, placed a kiss on his cheek and then disappeared.

Chris woke up when he felt lips pressed to his cheek. He smiled, remembering that his mom was there. He opened his eyes, but she was no where to be found. He sighed, but then remembered her words about the floorboard and orbed to the Manor.

Piper hadn't slept all night. All she could think about was that her baby boy had gotten himself hurt, or worse. Leo had stayed with her all night to try and comfort her, but it wasn't helping. He was too upset himself. He had tried to sense for Chris last night, and had thought he located him on the Golden Gate Bridge, but when he orbed there he saw no one. He thought he had heard voiced there, but couldn't track them down. He figured Chris had found out a way to throw of Leo's sensing powers.

Piper was now sobbing into Leo's shoulder. He was just about to comfort her when he sensed that someone had orbed into the attic. He grabbed Piper and they both orbed to the attic door. They picked in and saw Chris kneeling over the lose floorboard and taking out a piece of paper. Next thing they knew he was standing up and chanting a spell.

"Elder magic is not set in stone,

Aid me in changing their tone.

Give me back all that was taken,

So I will never again be forsaken."

With that a surge of power ran through the house and settled in Chris. It was then that Chris realized he was being spied on. He didn't even look or motion at the door, but he still slammed it shut with his telekinesis. Piper and Leo backed away feel very perplexed and hurt.

"Leo, what was that?" Piper said, looking up at her ex-husband.

"I don't know," said an equally confused Leo.

"She would go talk to him?"

Leo shook his head, "No, I think he needs some time alone."

Piper nodded and Leo orbed them downstairs.

Once Chris sensed that he was alone again, he visibly relaxed and sat down in a chair. There wasn't just one piece of paper in floor, there were two. He set the one with the spell aside and unfolded to other one. His eyes welled up with tears as he read it.

_My Darling Chris,_

_I know you well enough to know that you read the spell before you read this, so congratulations, you have all your powers back. Your Aunt Phoebe, Aunt Paige, Aunt Prue and I wrote that for you. We hoped you were strong enough to cast it. I have no doubt that you were. _

_I miss you so much. I believe that what you are doing is the right thing, though. Also remember that you are a Halliwell and one of the most powerful Halliwells ever. The elders answer to you. If you strike against them, they have no one to fight their battles. Use this against them._

_Remember that your brother loves you, also. He is not really Wyatt right now. He is corrupt. I know you will bring back the real Wyatt, though. Don't worry; I have it on good authority that everything you are doing there is going to help a lot. So please, please don't give up and don't get yourself killed. I love you too much and you have every right to benefit from the life you've created. I'll make sure you do. Always remember that I, your father, your brother, your aunts and your cousins love you very much._

_Love forever,_

_Mom_

_P.S. Give your father another chance. Remember that the Leo you are dealing with now is not the one from our timeline. He is trying to help. Please, let him help._

_XOXOXO_

Chris put the letter down and looked out the window.

"I promise you mom, I will save Wyatt."


	5. Good

A/N: Okay, so I figured out that my heart is not really in this anymore, so this is going to be the last chapter that will wrap it all up as best as possible. I'd like reviews please. Also if someone wants to do a sequel, just email me and let me know. Who knows, maybe one day I'll put a sequel out there. Until then, if you like my work, check out my other stories for Charmed, Dark Angel, Labyrinth and X-Men!

Chapter 5 - Good

Chris walked downstairs, and knew that his parents were sitting in the kitchen waiting for him.

"Well," he said to himself, "it's time to face the music."

He walked into the kitchen and awaited the barrage of questions that were sure to be fired his way. He was not disappointed.

"Where did you go before?"

"What happened upstairs?"

"Do you know how worried I was?"

Chris laughed a little and said, "The bridge, I'll explain right away and I'm sorry."

His parents didn't accept it, though.

"What do you mean you'll explain right away?" questioned Piper.

"Look," Chris sighed, "just get Wyatt, Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige together. We have to go visit the Elders."

Leo and Piper did as they were told, curious as to what was about to happen. When everyone was gathered, Leo, Chris and Paige orbed everyone up to the Elders. When they reached the gates, Chris pushed past the guards and telekinetically opened the doors. He marched in with his family behind him, until he reached the Grand Order of Elders. Gideon looked down at him in shock.

"Chris, what are you doing here?"

Chris just smiled knowingly at the older man.

"I'm here to make a few points about what is going to happen from now on."

Another elder, by the name of Anthony spoke up.

"How dare you, young man. You have no rights here, because you have no power."

Chris smirked.

"You wanna bet?"

He then quickly formed a fireball with his hands and threw it at Anthony. Anthony started on fire as the ball then bounced onto Gideon and then onto the other elders, lighting them all on fire. They screamed in pain, and Chris waited a few minutes before motioning with his hands, extinguishing the flames.

"Now, are you going to listen to me?"

The elders nodded meekly, while Chris's family looked on in amazement.

"Good, now let's start with you insistence on only telling us facts here and there. From now on, we know everything about all the magical happenings that would in anyway affect us. We also get to call the shots. I've seen the future; I know a hell of a lot more than you do and it's about time you learned that you can't control everything. As for protecting my family, you will supply guards 24/7 for the manor and especially for Wyatt until we neutralize the threat. Also, you will let my father visit earth whenever he wants, and still keep his elder status. And this whole trial thing is done with. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. Got it?"

The elders didn't give a response. Chris closed his eyes and the ground started to shake, knocking things over everywhere, yet leaving the Halliwell family untouched. The shaking finally stopped and the entire body of the GOE nodded their heads in agreement.

"Good," said Chris. He then turned around and started walking out, motioning for his family to follow him. They did and Piper picked up her pace a bit to talk to Chris.

"Why did you do all that?"

"Because," Chris sighed, "I'm trying to get things back to the way they were, perfect."


End file.
